Vehicle communication system

Abstract

A vehicle communication system detects the presence of a passenger wearable communication device. The system receives audio signals from multiple sources inside or outside of a vehicle. The system processes the signals before routing the signals to multiple destinations. The destinations may include wearable personal communication devices, front and/or rear speakers, and/or a remote mobile device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of communicating through a vehicle communication system associated with a vehicle, the vehicle including at least a first zone and a second zone, the method comprising:
 determining, by a vehicle communication system controller, a signal strength of a wearable personal communication device; 
 determining, by the vehicle communication system controller, if the wearable personal communication device is in the first zone within the vehicle based, at least in part, on a comparison of the signal strength with a first threshold; and 
 if the wearable personal communication device is determined to be within the first zone, decoupling from signal processing logic both a vehicle microphone in the first zone and a vehicle mounted speaker in the first zone; 
 wherein the wearable personal communication device includes at least one of an acoustic input device and output device, the method further including, if the wearable personal communication device is determined to be within the first zone: 
 coupling to signal processing logic at least one of a vehicle speaker in a second zone of the vehicle and a microphone in the second zone of the vehicle; and 
 coupling to the signal processing logic the at least one of the acoustic input device and the output device of the wearable personal communication device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving an acoustic signal at the signal processor logic from the wearable personal communication device within the vehicle; and 
 generating, by the signal processing logic, an acoustic output to the vehicle speaker in the second zone, the acoustic output based on the received acoustic signal. 
 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving an acoustic signal at the signal processor logic from the microphone; and 
 generating, by the signal processing logic, an acoustic output to the wearable personal communication device with the vehicle, the acoustic output based on the received acoustic signal. 
 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein determining the signal strength includes receiving, at the vehicle communication system controller, control data from the wearable personal communication device. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1  wherein determining, by the vehicle communication system controller, if the wearable personal communication device is in a first zone further includes checking vehicle sensor data. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the vehicle sensor data is at least one of weight sensor data, seat belt engagement data, and vehicle acceleration data. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein determining, by the vehicle communication system controller, if the wearable personal communication device is in a first zone further includes prompting a user of the vehicle for more information. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the vehicle communication system controller, if the wearable personal communication device is in the second zone of the vehicle based, at least in part, on a comparison of the signal strength with a second threshold. 
     
     
       9. A system for communicating in a vehicle, the vehicle including at least a first zone and a second zone, the system comprising: a vehicle communication system controller, the vehicle system controller for determining a signal strength associated with a wearable personal communication device, and determining if the wearable personal communication device is in the first zone of the vehicle based, at least in part, on a comparison of the signal strength with a threshold; a signal processor; and a vehicle microphone in the first zone and a microphone in the first zone, wherein the vehicle communication system controller decouples both the vehicle microphone in the first zone and the vehicle mounted speaker in the first zone from the signal processor if the wearable personal communication device is within the first zone;
 wherein the wearable personal communication device includes at least one of an acoustic input device and output device, the system further comprising: 
 at least one of a vehicle microphone in the second zone and a microphone in the second zone, wherein the vehicle communication system controller couples the signal processor to at least one of the vehicle speaker in the second zone and a microphone in the second zone if the wearable personal communication device is within the first zone, and wherein the vehicle communication system controller couples the signal processor to the at least one of the acoustic input device and the output device of the wearable personal communication device if the wearable personal communication device is within the first zone. 
 
     
     
       10. The system according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a vehicle sensor operatively coupled to the vehicle system controller, the vehicle communication system controller determining if the wearable personal communication device is in the first zone of the vehicle based, at least in part, on vehicle sensor data provided by a vehicle sensor. 
 
     
     
       11. The system according to  claim 10 , wherein the vehicle sensor is at least one of a weight sensor, a seat belt engagement sensor, and a vehicle acceleration sensor. 
     
     
       12. A non-transitory computer program product for communicating through a vehicle communication system associated with a vehicle, the vehicle including at least a first zone and a second zone, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium having executable computer readable program code thereon for execution by a computer, the computer readable program code comprising:
 computer code for determining a signal strength of a wearable personal communication device; 
 computer code for determining if the wearable personal communication device is in the first zone within the vehicle based, at least in part, on a comparison of the signal strength with a first threshold; and 
 computer code for, if the wearable personal communication device is within the first zone, decoupling from signal processing logic both a vehicle microphone in the first zone and a vehicle mounted speaker in the first zone; 
 wherein the wearable personal communication device includes at least one of an acoustic input device and output device, the computer program product further including: 
 program code for, if the wearable personal communication device is within the first zone: 
 coupling to signal processing logic at least one of a vehicle speaker in a second zone of the vehicle and a microphone in the second zone of the vehicle; and 
 coupling to the signal processing logic the at least one of the acoustic input device and the output device of the wearable personal communication device. 
 
     
     
       13. The computer program product according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 program code for receiving an acoustic signal from the wearable personal communication device within the vehicle; and 
 program code for generating an acoustic output to the vehicle speaker in the second zone, the acoustic output based on the received acoustic signal. 
 
     
     
       14. The computer program product according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 program code for receiving an acoustic signal from the microphone; and 
 program code for generating an acoustic output to the wearable personal communication device with the vehicle, the acoustic output based on the received acoustic signal.